The Policy Implications of the Biology of Trauma

Session: (In-Person) Poster Presentation

Modern research has revealed one of the greatest public health crises in the United States: the epidemic of toxic stress in childhood. Physicians have found that significant exposure to toxic stress through Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) increases the risk of seven out of the ten leading causes of death in the US. As a public health crisis, policy is uniquely equipped to prevent toxic stress and ACEs before they occur and create support services for those affected. However, a disconnect remains between scientific research and policy. Through a survey of existing literature on toxic stress and U.S. policy, I aim to identify the implications of medical research on creating trauma-informed policy responses to the toxic stress epidemic in the U.S. By identifying specific areas of policy that should be utilizing research on toxic stress, this project intends to demonstrate how science can help inform modern policy.